Money Lilian Odira, Faith Cherotich will pocket after Prefontaine Classic triumphs
By Joel Masibo, July 5, 2026World champions Lilian Odira, Faith Cherotich, and Faith Kipyegon are set to receive significant prize money following their performances at the 2026 Prefontaine Classic, part of the Diamond League series, held in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
Odira beat Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson to win the women’s 800m race in a time of 1:56:19. The winner in the Diamond League’s women’s 800m takes home 20,000 USD (Ksh2.5 million).
On the other hand, Faith Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic 1,500m champion, endured a rare defeat after finishing third in the women’s mile. It marked the first time in four years that the Kenyan star failed to win a Diamond League race.
The race was won by American Nikki Hiltz, who stormed to victory in a world-leading 4:17.49. Fellow Kenyan Dorcus Ewoi claimed second place with a lifetime best of 4:17.62, while Kipyegon settled for third after clocking 4:17.80.
The result came in only Kipyegon’s third outing of the 2026 season, as she has carefully managed her racing schedule this year.
Cherotich wins big
Meanwhile, fellow Kenyan Faith Cherotich produced one of the standout performances of the meeting by winning the women’s 3,000m steeplechase.
Cherotich defeated reigning Olympic champion Winfred Yavi in an impressive display, crossing the finish line in 8:51.74 to register her first Diamond League victory of the season. Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani completed the podium after setting a new national record, while Uganda’s former Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai finished fifth.
After the race, Cherotich revealed that the victory was especially meaningful because she had recently recovered from a lengthy injury layoff.
“I’m happy the race was good. I’m happy I’m back, and I thank God because I’m back after a long injury.”
Prize money breakdown
Each of the 14 regular Diamond League meetings offers a total prize fund of approximately Ksh64 million. Organisers also designate eight premium events, known as the Diamond+ Disciplines, where athletes compete for enhanced prize money.
The women’s mile in Eugene was among the Diamond+ events. As a result, race winner Nikki Hiltz will receive USD 20,000 (about Ksh2.5 million). Runner-up Dorcus Ewoi is set to earn USD 6,000 (approximately Ksh778,000), while Kipyegon’s third-place finish will be worth USD 4,000 (around Ksh518,000).
The women’s steeplechase was not classified as a Diamond+ Discipline. Consequently, Cherotich will collect the standard winner’s prize of USD 10,000 (about Ksh1.2 million) for her triumph.
In addition to official prize money, elite athletes such as Kipyegon are also believed to receive appearance fees from event organisers, although the exact amounts are not publicly disclosed.